Psalm 68
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Psalm 68
Praise and Thanksgiving
To the leader. Of David. A Psalm. A Song.
1 Let God rise up; let his enemies be scattered;
let those who hate him flee before him.(A)
2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;
as wax melts before the fire,
let the wicked perish before God.(B)
3 But let the righteous be joyful;
let them exult before God;
let them be jubilant with joy.(C)
4 Sing to God; sing praises to his name;
lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds[a]—
his name is the Lord—
be exultant before him.(D)
5 Father of orphans and protector of widows
is God in his holy habitation.(E)
6 God gives the desolate a home to live in;
he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
but the rebellious live in a parched land.(F)
7 O God, when you went out before your people,
when you marched through the wilderness, Selah(G)
8 the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain
at the presence of God, the God of Sinai,
at the presence of God, the God of Israel.(H)
9 Rain in abundance, O God, you showered abroad;
you restored your heritage when it languished;(I)
10 your flock found a dwelling in it;
in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.(J)
11 The Lord gives the command;
great is the company of those[b] who bore the tidings:
12 “The kings of the armies, they flee, they flee!”
The women at home divide the spoil,(K)
13 though they stay among the sheepfolds—
the wings of a dove covered with silver,
its pinions with green gold.(L)
14 When the Almighty[c] scattered kings there,
snow fell on Zalmon.(M)
15 O mighty mountain, mountain of Bashan;
O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan!
16 Why do you look with envy, O many-peaked mountain,
at the mount that God desired for his abode,
where the Lord will reside forever?(N)
17 With mighty chariotry, twice ten thousand,
thousands upon thousands,
the Lord came from Sinai into the holy place.[d](O)
18 You ascended the high mount,
leading captives in your train
and receiving gifts from people,
even from those who rebel against the Lord God’s abiding there.(P)
19 Blessed be the Lord,
who daily bears us up;
God is our salvation. Selah(Q)
20 Our God is a God of salvation,
and to God, the Lord, belongs escape from death.(R)
21 But God will shatter the heads of his enemies,
the hairy crown of those who walk in their guilty ways.(S)
22 The Lord said,
“I will bring them back from Bashan;
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,(T)
23 so that you may bathe[e] your feet in blood,
so that the tongues of your dogs may have their share from the foe.”(U)
24 Your solemn processions are seen,[f] O God,
the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary—(V)
25 the singers in front, the musicians last,
between them young women playing tambourines:(W)
26 “Bless God in the great congregation,
the Lord, O you who are of Israel’s fountain!”(X)
27 There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,
the princes of Judah in a body,
the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.(Y)
28 Summon your might, O God;
show your strength, O God, as you have done for us before.
29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem,
kings bear gifts to you.(Z)
30 Rebuke the wild animals that live among the reeds,
the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.
Trample[g] under foot those who lust after tribute;
scatter the peoples who delight in war.[h](AA)
31 Let bronze be brought from Egypt;
let Cush hasten to stretch out its hands to God.(AB)
32 Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth;
sing praises to the Lord, Selah
33 O rider in the heavens, the ancient heavens;
listen, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.(AC)
34 Ascribe power to God,
whose majesty is over Israel
and whose power is in the skies.(AD)
35 Awesome is God in his[i] sanctuary,
the God of Israel;
he gives power and strength to his people.
Blessed be God!(AE)
Footnotes
- 68.4 Or cast up a highway for him who rides through the deserts
- 68.11 Or company of the women
- 68.14 Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai
- 68.17 Cn: Heb The Lord among them Sinai in the holy (place)
- 68.23 Gk Syr Tg: Heb shatter
- 68.24 Or have been seen
- 68.30 Cn: Heb Trampling
- 68.30 Meaning of Heb of 68.30 is uncertain
- 68.35 Gk: Heb from your
Psalm 68
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
68 Unto the end, for them that shall be changed; for David.
2 SAVE me, O God: for the waters are come in even unto my soul.
3 I stick fast in the mire of the deep: and there is no sure standing. I am come into the depth of the sea: and a tempest hath overwhelmed me.
4 I have laboured with crying; my jaws are become hoarse: my eyes have failed, whilst I hope in my God.
5 They are multiplied above the hairs of my head, who hate me without cause. My enemies are grown strong who have wrongfully persecuted me: then did I pay that which I took not away.
6 O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my offences are not hidden from thee:
7 Let not them be ashamed for me, who look for thee, O Lord, the Lord of hosts. Let them not be confounded on my account, who seek thee, O God of Israel.
8 Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face.
9 I am become a stranger to my brethren, and an alien to the sons of my mother.
10 For the zeal of thy house hath eaten me up: and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.
11 And I covered my soul in fasting: and it was made a reproach to me.
12 And I made haircloth my garment: and I became a byword to them.
13 They that sat in the gate spoke against me: and they that drank wine made me their song.
14 But as for me, my prayer is to thee, O Lord; for the time of thy good pleasure, O God. In the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.
15 Draw me out of the mire, that I may not stick fast: deliver me from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.
16 Let not the tempest of water drown me, nor the deep swallow me up: and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.
17 Hear me, O Lord, for thy mercy is kind; look upon me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.
18 And turn not away thy face from thy servant: for I am in trouble, hear me speedily.
19 Attend to my soul, and deliver it: save me because of my enemies.
20 Thou knowest my reproach, and my confusion, and my shame.
21 In thy sight are all they that afflict me; my heart hath expected reproach and misery. And I looked for one that would grieve together with me, but there was none: and for one that would comfort me, and I found none.
22 And they gave me gall for my food, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
23 Let their table become as a snare before them, and a recompense, and a stumblingblock.
24 Let their eyes be darkened that they see not; and their back bend thou down always.
25 Pour out thy indignation upon them: and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them.
26 Let their habitation be made desolate: and let there be none to dwell in their tabernacles.
27 Because they have persecuted him whom thou hast smitten; and they have added to the grief of my wounds.
28 Add thou iniquity upon their iniquity: and let them not come into thy justice.
29 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; and with the just let them not be written.
30 But I am poor and sorrowful: thy salvation, O God, hath set me up.
31 I will praise the name of God with a canticle: and I will magnify him with praise.
32 And it shall please God better than a young calf, that bringeth forth horns and hoofs.
33 Let the poor see and rejoice: seek ye God, and your soul shall live.
34 For the Lord hath heard the poor: and hath not despised his prisoners.
35 Let the heavens and the earth praise him; the sea, and every thing that creepeth therein.
36 For God will save Sion, and the cities of Juda shall be built up. And they shall dwell there, and acquire it by inheritance.
37 And the seed of his servants shall possess it; and they that love his name shall dwell therein.
Psalm 68
New King James Version
The Glory of God in His Goodness to Israel
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. A Song.
68 Let (A)God arise,
Let His enemies be scattered;
Let those also who hate Him flee before Him.
2 (B)As smoke is driven away,
So drive them away;
(C)As wax melts before the fire,
So let the wicked perish at the presence of God.
3 But (D)let the righteous be glad;
Let them rejoice before God;
Yes, let them rejoice exceedingly.
4 Sing to God, sing praises to His name;
(E)Extol[a] Him who rides on the [b]clouds,
(F)By His name [c]Yah,
And rejoice before Him.
5 (G)A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows,
Is God in His holy habitation.
6 (H)God sets the solitary in families;
(I)He brings out those who are bound into prosperity;
But (J)the rebellious dwell in a dry land.
7 O God, (K)when You went out before Your people,
When You marched through the wilderness, Selah
8 The earth shook;
The heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God;
Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
9 (L)You, O God, sent a plentiful rain,
Whereby You confirmed Your inheritance,
When it was weary.
10 Your congregation dwelt in it;
(M)You, O God, provided from Your goodness for the poor.
11 The Lord gave the word;
Great was the [d]company of those who proclaimed it:
12 “Kings(N) of armies flee, they flee,
And she who remains at home divides the [e]spoil.
13 (O)Though you lie down among the [f]sheepfolds,
(P)You will be like the wings of a dove covered with silver,
And her feathers with yellow gold.”
14 (Q)When the Almighty scattered kings in it,
It was white as snow in Zalmon.
15 A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan;
A mountain of many peaks is the mountain of Bashan.
16 Why do you [g]fume with envy, you mountains of many peaks?
(R)This is the mountain which God desires to dwell in;
Yes, the Lord will dwell in it forever.
17 (S)The chariots of God are twenty thousand,
Even thousands of thousands;
The Lord is among them as in Sinai, in the Holy Place.
18 (T)You have ascended on high,
(U)You have led captivity captive;
(V)You have received gifts among men,
Even from (W)the rebellious,
(X)That the Lord God might dwell there.
19 Blessed be the Lord,
Who daily loads us with benefits,
The God of our salvation! Selah
20 Our God is the God of salvation;
And (Y)to God the Lord belong escapes from death.
21 But (Z)God will wound the head of His enemies,
(AA)The hairy scalp of the one who still goes on in his trespasses.
22 The Lord said, “I will bring (AB)back from Bashan,
I will bring them back (AC)from the depths of the sea,
23 (AD)That [h]your foot may crush them in blood,
(AE)And the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from your enemies.”
24 They have seen Your [i]procession, O God,
The procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary.
25 (AF)The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after;
Among them were the maidens playing timbrels.
26 Bless God in the congregations,
The Lord, from (AG)the fountain of Israel.
27 (AH)There is little Benjamin, their leader,
The princes of Judah and their [j]company,
The princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali.
28 [k]Your God has (AI)commanded your strength;
Strengthen, O God, what You have done for us.
29 Because of Your temple at Jerusalem,
(AJ)Kings will bring presents to You.
30 Rebuke the beasts of the reeds,
(AK)The herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples,
Till everyone (AL)submits himself with pieces of silver.
Scatter the peoples who delight in war.
31 (AM)Envoys will come out of Egypt;
(AN)Ethiopia will quickly (AO)stretch out her hands to God.
32 Sing to God, you (AP)kingdoms of the earth;
Oh, sing praises to the Lord, Selah
33 To Him (AQ)who rides on the heaven of heavens, which were of old!
Indeed, He sends out His voice, a (AR)mighty voice.
34 (AS)Ascribe strength to God;
His excellence is over Israel,
And His strength is in the clouds.
35 O God, (AT)You are more awesome than Your holy places.
The God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to His people.
Blessed be God!
Footnotes
- Psalm 68:4 Praise
- Psalm 68:4 MT deserts; Tg. heavens (cf. v. 34 and Is. 19:1)
- Psalm 68:4 Lit. Lord, a shortened Heb. form
- Psalm 68:11 host
- Psalm 68:12 plunder
- Psalm 68:13 Or saddlebags
- Psalm 68:16 Lit. stare
- Psalm 68:23 LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg. you may dip your foot
- Psalm 68:24 Lit. goings
- Psalm 68:27 throng
- Psalm 68:28 LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg. Command, O God
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
